Portable self-contained weighing and measuring apparatus.



H.- E. MAINE.

PORTABLE SELF CONTAINED WEIGHING AND MEASURING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION PI'LED JUNE 20, 1911.

1,015,739 Patented Jan.23, 1912.

ATTOFHNE UNITED STATES PATENT orrroa.

HERBERT E. MAINE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

.PQ RTABLE SELF-CONTAINED WEIGHING AND MEASURING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 20, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. MAINE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PortableSelf-Contained Weighing and Measuring Apparatus, of which the follow ingis a specification.

My invention relates to an improved portable self-containedweighing andmeasuring apparatus, adapted more especially for household use inconnection with the culinary art; and it consists in the novel con-''tioning, counterpoised, rem ovably fulcrumed and tiltable combinedWeigh-beam or lever member, arranged to receive and carry a removable,non-slidable weight unit at one end, and a recessed or ladle-likeextension secured to or integral with the lever member, adapted toreceive therein the material or substance to be weighed, as for example,loose tea, &c., until the quantity thus deposited equals or exactlybalances the corresponding Weight unit mounted in the opposite end ofthe lever.

By means of the employment of my improved weighing system the exactpredetermined amount or charge of ingredient, such as loose tea, toproduce a certain number of cups of the infusion or beverage, may bequickly and accurately weighed out without loss, the user or operatorimmediately thereafter lifting the charge and weightcarrying leverbodily from its pivot and emptying the tea into a suitable vessel orpercolator. Obviously, the device is adapted for weighing, with equalfacility and accuracy, uniform quantities of other substances, as sugar,salt, spices,&c., corresponding with any prearranged standard unitshaving re lation to certain volumes of water, flour, &c.,'

as the case may be. Upon replacing the lever (then minus the charge andweight unit) on its pivot, it immediately assumes the equipoiseposition. y

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure l is a perspective view ofa Weighing apparatus embodying my invention, show- Specification ofLetters r rest.

Patented Jan. 23, 112912.

Serial No. 634,341.

ing the pivoted weighing arm or lever in the normally level or balancedposition; Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of a series of detachedweights or units varying in size; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionalview of the lever, taken through the corresponding portion of thesupporting pivot.

The device as a whole is indicated by A and consists of the base It, thecentral vertical pivot-carrying standard I); the rear standard (7, thelever or beam -D, removably positioned in said members Z)c,' and aseries of weights w, varying in size, adapted to be removably. seated inthe rear end of the said member D.

The form of the base a is preferably rectangular, and may be made ofwood or other suitable material, as thin sheet metal. At or near thecenter of the base, longitudinally, is fixed the transversely disposedvertical bracket or standard 6, its upper portion terminating in ears inwhich is secured the horizontal pivot-pin or fulcrum 79, as clearly Thebeam or lever D may have any suitable form, as desired. In the drawingsithas the general appearance of a spoon or ladle, the free end of itshandle part 8 having a small hole 8 therethrough, adapted to removablyreceive the stem or shank 10 of the weights w. The opposite end of thelever is provided with a concave or bowlshaped pan .9, having say thenormal capacity of a table-spoon, adapted to receive the material orsubstance to be weighed. At a certain point, being the normal center ofgravity or equilibrium, the lever, which is preferably V-shapedtransversely, has each of the downwardly inclined sides a provided witha V-shaped notch 32 arranged to freely receive and be engaged by thepivotpin 30. The exact center of the bowl s is designated by aprick-mark or other suitable center-denoting character, surrounded by atally and centrally through the narrow open notch 0 of the verticalplate 0. The upper and lower edges of the opening a serve as stops forlimiting the tilting movements of the lever, thus preventing theaccidental spilling of the material or goods from the pan during theweighing operation, and at the same time preventing undue angularvibrations. The fixed relation of the weightpositioning hole a and thesaid center or circle 6 to the fulcrum are such as to insure greateraccuracy in weighing out the material. 1

The drawing represents the device provided with four portable weights wvarying in size, and numbered 1, 2, 3, and 5, respectively, the saidnumbers designating the number of units, or say cups of tea which eachweight denotes.

' Assuming now the apparatus to be in the normal or balanced position,substantially as represented in Fig. 1, the manner of operation may bedescribed as follows: If the user desires to weigh out a predeterminedquantity of material (say tea, for the purpose of illustration) toproduce five cups offluid tea, the weight numbered 5 is first removedfrom the base and its stem w inserted in the aperture 8 of the weighinglever, thereby depressing the latter until arrested by the lower edge ofthe notched opening 0 he next places or introduces the loose tea intothe center portion of the temporarily slightly elevated bowl 8 until theamount thus deposited produces an equilibrium of the parts and justbalances the weight No. 5. The operator then removes the thus loadedmember D from its support ing point p and empties the tea directly intothe tea-pot, followed by replacing the lever on the pivot, the notchedbearing p serving to facilitate its replacement. :The weight, adapted tobe manipulated by the handle It, may be disconnected from the leverbefore the latter is removed: from its support.

The element 1) is also adapted to be di- 1 rcctly'employed as a dry andliquid-measurmg member, the weights then being omitted. In suchapplication of the device the pan .9, having, as before stated, thestandard capacity and dimensions of the bowl of a tablespoon, may beutilized in hen of other measuring means for accurately measuring orscooping out spoonfuls of coliee or other substance, as the case may be,since the form, arrangement and manner of mounting the member D are suchas to permit of its ready removal from the pivot, as well as for itsnormal replacement.

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by United States LettersPatent z- 1. In a portable combined weighing and measuring device, thecombination with a base adapted to receive a plurality of Weights, andhaving an upright member secured to the base terminating at its upperend in a pivot or fulcrum, of a weigh-lever removably balanced on saidfulcrum, said lever having one end perforated to receive a weight,theother end of the iever being adapted to temporarily receive thesubstance or material to be weighed or measured, and a stop for limitingthe upward tilting movement of the lever when the latter is beingnormally employed. 7

2. In a weighing apparatus of the general character described, thecombination of a suitably mounted, horizontally disposed pivot-pin, anda weigh-lever having its arm substantially V-shaped transversely, thebeveled sides thereof having Vshaped notches alining with each other,adapted to engage said pivot-pin, whereby the lever is capable of beingreadily removable bodily from its pivot, and means for limiting thetilting movements up and down of the lever.

3. In a combined weighing and measuring apparatus the combination withaportable base having an upright member terminating at its upper end ina pivot or fulcrum, of the weigh-lever or element D herein describednormally and removably balanced on said fulcrum, one end of said leverhaving a relatively small aperture therein located a predetermineddistance from the fulcrum to receive a Weight, and having the other oropposite end portion of the lever recessed or bowl-shaped and adapted tore ceive the material to be weighed or measured, the bottom of therecessed parthaving a permanent mark or character designating itscenter.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

I HER-BERT E. MAINE.

Witnesses:

G-no; II. REMINGTON, CALVIN H. Browns

